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New study has found 1 US city to be the worst for traffic in the entire country and it's not LA

Published on Dec 20, 2025 at 7:45 PM (UTC+4)
by Claire Reid

Last updated on Dec 18, 2025 at 2:30 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by Kate Bain

A new study has revealed the one city that is the worst for traffic in the whole of the United States, and it’s probably not the one you’re thinking of. 

If you were one of the estimated 73 million American motorists who recently took to the roads this Thanksgiving, you may think your city is topping the charts when it comes to traffic. 

But of course, there can only be one winner (or loser).

And the INRIX 2025 Global Traffic Scorecard has crunched the numbers to announce a winner of the less-than-desirable title. 

Top 10 cities with the worst traffic in the US

The INRIX 2025 Global Traffic Scorecard draws on three years of travel and transportation data to work out which cities have the highest traffic delay times.

The data spans more than 900 cities across 36 different countries, and it tells a very interesting story.

A new study has revealed the one city that is the worst for traffic in the whole of the United States, and it's probably not the one you’re thinking of
Nabeel Syed/Unsplash

Many US motorists might assume that Los Angeles or New York City would take the crown for the city with the most time lost sitting in traffic, but they actually rank 5th and 3rd, respectively. 

Just ahead of New York City, in 2nd place, is Mexico City, while Philadelphia is in 4th place. 

Boston takes the 5th spot, followed by Miami and Atlanta in 6th and 7th. 

The top 10 is rounded out by Houston, in 9th place, and Washington, DC, in 10th. 

So, which was the lucky city to rank 1st?

A new study has revealed the one city that is the worst for traffic in the whole of the United States, and it's probably not the one you’re thinking of
Naren Manoj/Unsplash

Chicago topped the list, with the average driver losing approximately 112 hours of commute time in 2025. 

This has risen by around 10 percent since last year, and breaks down to a little over 18 minutes a day wasted in traffic. 

For a bit of comparison, motorists in second-place Mexico City lose an average of 108 hours a year, or about 17.7 minutes a day.

Worst traffic in US ranked by city
INRIX

Here’s how it measures up globally

Interestingly, while Chicago is America’s most traffic-congested city, it’s not the worst in the world. 

The study puts the Turkish city of Istanbul in first place. 

The average Instanbul driver loses 118 hours – a little under five days – to traffic every year, the equivalent of more than 19 minutes a day. 

Chicago does hold the second place globally, though. 

And Mexico City, New York City, Philadelphia, and LA all make the top 10.

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Claire Reid is a journalist who hails from the UK but is now living in New Zealand. She began her career after graduating with a degree in Journalism from Liverpool John Moore’s University and has more than a decade of experience, writing for both local newspapers and national news sites. Claire covers a wide variety of topics, with a special focus on cars, technology, planes, cryptocurrency, and luxury.